STYLE & FASHION

Feb

Smartwatch has been in around for quite awhile and I have always wanted to experience one myself but I haven’t came across a design that I am interested in until recently when SKAGEN introduced me to their new collection of SKAGEN Falster Smartwatch. I must admit that I am not a gadget enthusiast but I do love watches. Thus, the fact that SKAGEN Falster Smartwatch combines technology with stylish design fascinates me and I made a trip to see how this new stylish smartwatch becomes my new helpful assistant.

The very first perk that I realized is that I can receive notifications/messages from my WhatsApp and emails. I can prioritise my important messages while enjoying my brunch before my meetings. So don’t blame me if I don’t reply all of the messages when I have a busy day ahead! The bonus is that I can see the messages and the senders wouldn’t know that I’ve read them! 😛 Yes, it is also a touchscreen smartwatch!

I love the minimal design of this smartwatch, its simplicity goes well with any of my outfit. This collection comes with interchangeable leather straps or mesh straps. I never wanted a smartwatch that would make me look geeky and this is definitely not one of those!

I do use a fitness tracker when I hit the gym (especially when I’m doing the cardio exercises) but I never wore it casually because they don’t really look the part with my outfits or for my meetings. But now I can finally track my steps/calories burnt for the day while keeping my outfit on point. I’m not sorry to be a perfectionist! It helps my performance when I dress well, therefore every small detail is vital for me. This intelligent device would definitely make me fitter over time as I can set my own goal for the daily steps – no more excuse for not walking my doggie!

I love a power nap on a busy day, or whenever I get the chance. I always use my phone to set the alarm but the phone has always been a distraction (even during my sleep time in the night) as I have the tendency to wake up and check my phone apps. Now this is a handy little tool to wake me up from my nap with its vibrating function.

There are other features of the SKAGEN Falster Smartwatch such as the world clock with different time-zones and music control. I love the weather forecast display where I can check the weather/temperature before I head out. I’m quite a lazy person when it comes to checking weather before I go out and I always regret for not doing so as I wouldn’t take my umbrella out on a rainy day! It’s much more convenient to have it on a default display with the smartwatch. In addition, I can also personalize the watch face with my choice of dial colour or font colour according to my mood/outfit! It is actually very fun and refreshing to see it happening with a single watch.

May

Summer is approaching (finally!) and I have been looking out for lightweight skinny fit suits with unique textures. Linen suit has always been my top choice in the Spring/Summer until recently when I came across with this gorgeous woven seersucker suit from River Island. They have just arrived in perfect time as I have a couple of weddings to attend in a couple of months! What I love about the seersucker fabric in comparison with linen is the smoother touch but still remains the wrinkled and puckered appearance which works so well with summer. It is the new modern essential in my opinion, everyone should own a seersucker suit.

I love this new suiting collection from River Island as the fitting is unbelievably well if not perfect, well it is close to perfection for a ready-made suit. I compared it with my made to measure suit and the result is not far-off! Not many brands able to achieve this and they actually carry the jackets in 3 different sleeves length of the same chest size in short, regular and long. I am wearing Size 34 in short, and it fits me like a glove! The same applies to the trousers! This is a wow-factor for me as you are only paying for the ready-made price but in return you are getting very well fitted suit. Unless you are a model, otherwise you will understand the struggle when it comes to buying ready-made suiting! To make it slightly more interesting, I have also gone for the double breasted jacket as it looks more suave and opulent.

You can easily dress it up with a button up shirt and a tie like I do, or simply pair it with a white T-shirt for smart casual. Most importantly, you need to have fun with the styling! It’s a summer wedding after all. I have added a pocket square and a tie in stone colour with navy polka dots to go with the suit. I love the earthy tone of the accessories to make it more fun and yet relevant. If you are someone who loves bright colours, I would suggest you to accessorise the suit with bolder colours such as red, green or even burnt orange. These stone suede loafers with tassels from River Island are great for the summer too with a pair of no-show socks.

You can see the wrinkled/puckered texture from the close up image above. And the thin striped fabric also gives it an understated charm as supposed to plain navy suit. I have also chosen a penny collar shirt for this very special occasion because I find it less corporate especially with a tie.

Apr

L’Atelier Bicester Village is a new watch and jewellery boutique in Bicester Village that offers amazing selections of luxury and finest brands such as Theo Fennell, Baume & Mercier, Georg Jensen, Corum, Rotary, Tolkowsky, Dreyfuss, LeVian, Leo Diamond, Eterna and many more.

There are so many luxury brands that I love from L’Atelier, but I always shop smart and prioritize my need (or want) first. Therefore I have picked my favourite brand, Georg Jensen from the wide range of choices – it was a tough choice when there are so many beautifully crafted timepieces and jewellery. Most importantly, all of these timepieces are being sold at the VILLAGE PRICE! This is how I managed to PAY LESS and GET MORE in value! Carry on reading to find out the huge price difference cause you don’t want to miss that!

The minimalism of Georg Jensen timepieces is great for casual and smart attire. I have chosen the Georg Jensen Koppel 41mm with Automatic movement. It has a date indicator and it is Swiss Made, with international warranty that is perfect for anyone who visits from other countries! This would make a nice gift too without a doubt. The recommended retail price for this exact timepiece is £1440 in comparison with the village price at L’Atelier of £720! That is a generous discount of 50%. Yes, now you can hold your jaw together.

The interior of L’Atelier is simple and opulent. There’s a luxurious and exclusive lounging area for the customers to get some inspiration and also trying out their chosen jewellery/watches.

The luxury watch brands includes Rotary, Baume Mercier, Corum, Georg Jensen, Dreyfuss & Co, Eterna, Raymond Weil, and Maurice Lacroix. I had my eyes on several watches from Baume Mercier and Maurice Lacroix too, hence I probably will be visiting again to grab another timepiece from them! It’s simply too difficult to resist when all of these brands offer such a great discount up to 60%! The saving itself is enough for me to buy another luxury watch to add into my collection.

I am obsessed with the thin black and blue hands of this Georg Jensen Koppel 41mm watch, which I think it’s also suitable for women due to its unisex aesthetic. The transparent case back displays the beauty of the Swiss automatic movement with 25 Jewels. The convex, double curve Sapphire crystal dial face gives perfect clarity of the appearance in any dimension.

The entire luxury shopping experience was such a joy especially they have an amazing team that is very friendly, helpful, and most importantly – knowledgeable. I can’t wait to gift the presents to my family on their birthdays.

Sep

This autumn, River Island presents a curated series of timeless styling essentials that transcend trend. These premium essentials are great for every man’s wardrobe from head to toe.

I’ve selected a few classics that will transform your wardrobe with style and versatility. They are turtle neck jumper, wash jeans, white sneakers, bomber jacket and smart coat.

With the very same outfit but different jackets, you will see the distinction of street style & smart casual aesthetic.

Roll neck jumper is great for casual or smart wear that transforms your image to a fresh perspective. You can also adjust the length of the roll neck to your preference which also changes the vibe of your outfit. You will notice two different lengths of the roll neck in two of my outfits.

Bomber jacket is a MUST for the Autumn (and Spring too). The dark green padded MA1 bomber jacket from River Island is great as all day outfit. It is great for the Autumn weather and it’s very comfortable and lightweight. Bomber jacket will never go out in fashion too. You can match it with T-shirt, button up shirt, knitwear and sweater – basically anything and everything! This also applies to the Tan smart overcoat, and the only difference is a smart coat gives you a smart look instead of too casual if you would like to impress someone in your first date! By pairing a smart coat with jeans and sneakers will make a great impression if you don’t want to be too dressed up for the occasion, you are just dressing down in a smart way.

Everyone needs a pair of dark wash jeans as they go well with pretty much every piece of clothing you own in your existing wardrobe. I like the fitting of these Dylan slim fit jeans because they are not as tight as skinny jeans but the cutting of the jeans is excellent.

The last but not least, white sneaker is also an all time classic in fashion. I find white sneaker is such an ease to match with any outfits, and at the same time it also makes the whole look clean and sleek. But be sure you look after your white sneakers! I always keep mine spotless – or I try!

Want the chance to win yourself a wardrobe of essentials from STYLE STAPLES? Tell me what your Style Staple is on Instagram and a winner will be chosen on the 16th September 2016 to win a River Island gift voucher worth £200.

Jul

As a fashion blogger & entrepreneur, business trip is now a big part of my life. Hence, long-haul flights are also getting more frequent. I love timeless fashion, as I believe that it is something that I would appreciate at any age in my life. Smythson has the very similar design concept in my opinion, a brand that combines opulence and minimal fashion aesthetic.

I have been travelling to 3 different countries in South East Asia this July, which also involved a 14 hours long-haul flight. The Burlington 48 Hour Travel bag in soft deerskin is perfect for the long-haul flight due to its spacious characteristic and the available compartments. I always pack all of my necessities based on entertainment and comfort. I do pack extra clothings for my long-haul flight because I would change few hours before landing. The Burlington Washbag is used to keep all of my toiletries such as electric toothbrush, toothpaste and travel size facial products.

It is also vital to pack the cables for my electronic devices such as mobile phones & headphones. These items would keep me occupied on the plane, especially I prefer to use my own headphones instead of the one provided by the airline due to comfort reason. One of my favourite feature of this Burlington travel bag is the 2 separated big compartments which allows me to allocate my belongings based on my own need. I use one compartment for the items that I need to access more regularly, whereas the other is used to keep the items that I may not need until near the end of my flight.

The exterior zip pocket is such a favourable feature of this bag for any laptop user. Now I don’t need to use my laptop sleeve anymore whenever I travel with this bag. It fits my 13-inch Macbook perfectly while keeping it safe and protected. The exterior slip pocket is also a smart addition to the bag which makes my reading material a lot more accessible.

The travel accessories below are used to keep my personal belongings organized. I love to keep my personal belongings organized so that I can access them efficiently whenever I need them. Nevertheless, I love the leather texture of these travel accessories as the textures have given them an opulent and modern yet timeless characteristic. For me, Smythson’s luxury goods are all about versatility, functionality and timeless designs – which is exactly what modern men require these days.

Jul

The Spring Summer Collection 2016 by SWIMS is functional, vibrant and fun. Their new Primaloft® line is designed for the guy that wants to look smart yet needs function. With its body temperature
regulating , wicking & quick dry aspects as well as naturally odor resistant features, this is a line that should be compulsory for your lunches at the beach club, feeling the warm breeze or chilling on a pineapple floatie, perhaps. 🙂

The timeless swimshorts from Gavitella collection use peached hydrophobic polyester fabric, it also has a super-soft feel, definitely your most comfortable swim trunk for the summer!

With the anti-bacterial mesh liner and inner sole, the anti-slip grip and non-marking sole,breathable ventilation gills for air circulation and water drainage, their loafers are perfect for any summer holiday!

The Bag is constructed in one piece of a 100% waterpoof PU foam – backed Nylon fabric, with coated zippers and thus what we call splash proof. Luxury pull-up leather handles and lots of molded genuine Swims detailing, make it a “loaded minimalist” product. Perfect for just about anything you need 24 hours / 48 hours on the go away from home!

Jun

Braun seamlessly combines design and fusion for products that are intuitive and satisfying to use. The new Braun Beard, Hair and Body Styling Range allows unparalleled styling possibilities for precision styling from head to toe.

As a fashionista and a gentleman myself, I pay a lot of attention to the design of all the products that I use. The design is equally as important as the function in my perspective. The new range from Braun has definitely achieved it with its versatile function and the masculine aesthetic.

The Braun Body Groomer is the perfect tool for a groomed look from head to toe. It can be used to trim, shave and maintain all over your body, even down under as the body groomer sensitive comb, ensures
your delicate areas are under safe trimmers.

• The 2-in-1 functionality means the product can trim and clean-shave body hair in one movement, for a grooming routine that is fast and hassle-free
• Works in the shower for added comfort and convenience
• A charging stand ensures the body groomer is always charged and ready

The Braun Hair Clipper has ultrasharp secured blades for high performance, which are lifetime lasting for ultimate hair clipping.

• With two smart trimming attachments, and 17 precise length settings, it can be used to customise a huge variety of styles (an extra short setting can be used without the comb)
• The Memory SafetyLock system that remembers the last length setting used, even after the attachment is removed
• Because it can be used corded or cordlessly it never runs out of power
• Fully washable for easy cleaning

The Braun Precision Trimmer has two trimming combs to provide flexible, precise trimming and create precise styles down to the very last millimetre.

The 5mm comb – an extra small trimming element that defines sharp lines – ensures a consistent, tidy trim time and time again, and the 8mm comb ensures that longer facial hair remains perfectly groomed.

I hate ironing my clothes ever since I remember. I hate the hassle of getting out the ironing board, get out the heavy iron from my cupboard, arrange my clothes on the ironing board to make sure it’s flat and ready, the entire process seems to be so long-winded. Finally I was introduced to this Tarvel Steamer Cirrus by The Steamery, I considered myself very lucky! This is one of the best product I’ve ever came across with. It actually does make me feel that this chore is much easier now.

The fact that it is portable and I can take it with me for a business trip/weekend getaway, it is just a perfect way to keep my clothes wrinkles free wherever I go! It starts up in 20-25 seconds. High temperature, pressurized steam delivered on the press of a button. 6 min of on demand steam per refill. And it also comes with a travel pouch that can be used as the ‘ironing board’! I just love it so much!

If you are worried about sensitive fabrics as light silk, fine fibre blends and wool, you can clip on the included fabric brush. That gives you a little extra space between the steamer and the fabric and its also good for removing hair, dust and minor stains.

Mar

Marty, oh Marty. This is definitely one of my favourite bag ever! I’ve been a fan of Mulberry for years now (since I got the Piccadilly travel bag). I always wanted a versatile backpack that is smart enough for both casual and formal occasion. Hence, I found this gorgeous Mulberry Small Marty. It has a clean and structured look that for me personally, great for dressed up as well as street style.

This backpack is very lightweight with full-grain leather. It has a card pocket with press stud closure on the back of the backpack. It also has adjustable leather straps, plus a small internal slip pocket and a large internal slip pocket. More detailed pictures can be found here.